Cash for clunkers/guzzlers poll

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J

JDD

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I have a lot of respect for the members of this forum, so I am wanting to get feedback to see if anyone is going to buy a new car if the cash for clunkers/guzzlers bill passes. In a nutshell, you can get $3500 to $4500 towards a new more fuel effecient, less polluting vehicle, if you trade in your old vehicle so it can be crushed and recycled. Looks like this bill will be a reality within 6 weeks.

I, for one am going to do it. I have a 1993 S-Blazer that is a good candidate and I have been saving for a newer used car, but now will buy a new one since that gap is smaller now. Haven't decided on a vehicle, but it will be either an American make or made in the USA.
 
You should write a thank you letter to the top 50% of earners in this country. And our countries' kids...and their kids.
 
Is there any assurance that the car you trade in for the credit actually gets crushed/recycled?
 
lol, is this true? Any links??? people will get this, and a credit for sales tax paid... and if a diesel or hybrid, also $1500 or so more?

wow, the auto lobbyists did good!
 
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read it on edmunds

http://www.edmunds.com/cash-for-clunkers.html

I'm semi interested in it. I was hoping to use my 2k in GM card earnings, get $3500 cash for clunker rebate, then get blowout clearance price on Pontiacs, with a credit for sales tax.
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Quote:

What happens to the car that you trade in? This has been a hotly debated aspect of the Cash for Clunkers bill. While the details have not yet been revealed, it appears that the vehicles might be disassembled and used for parts or resold in other markets.


So a gas guzzler is sold in, say, mexico... how does that help us? It's using the world's finite resources...

Quote:

What if you wish to lease the new vehicle? In this case, it appears likely that the voucher could be applied to a leased vehicle as a "capitalized cost adjustment." This would lower the price of the vehicle and thus reduce the monthly payment of a lease.


They are leasing priuses for $199/month here. I could probably parlay a $200 buick into a free two year lease.
 
It's amazing the people you see driving vehicles that have no modern safety equipment, pollute like crazy and are in highly questionable condition and then think they are the smart ones for not buying a modern vehicle in 30 years. If they lived in some European countries or Japan they would be forced by law to not drive these piles. If you can't be a responsible citizen, live somewhere where you can take public transportation. The exception of course are vehicles that are collector items, rarely driven and well maintained. The cash for clunkers idea is great, imo.
 
Originally Posted By: eljefino

So a gas guzzler is sold in, say, mexico... how does that help us? It's using the world's finite resources...


It is resulting in the super clunker in Mexico being crushed, to free up materials for the new cars somewhere in the world. The parts from our clunkers also reduce repair expenses for other cars and make them run more efficiently.

Our kids will probably pay less for fuel than us thanks to the enhanced fuel efficiency.

One big problem I see is that it pushed forward the retirement schedule of many older cars, that the demand for new car will drop very quickly as soon as this program is over. It is like borrowing the demand against the future and eventually we will see another slowdown in the auto sector.


I'm probably not qualified because my clunker gets 30mpg, and there isn't any new car that I'm interested in that gets way above that mileage.
 
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I guess if you all get your way there will be no more classic cars, no more parts to keep them going. History ends. We all end up in little look alike boxes. Sell out pride for efficiency.

car_progress.jpg
 
Originally Posted By: widman
I guess if you all get your way there will be no more classic cars, no more parts to keep them going. History ends. We all end up in little look alike boxes. Sell out pride for efficiency.



A classic car that is in oversupply will only see its value increase by crushing the excess. I'd imagine any respectable classic should worth a little more than 3.5k.
 
Originally Posted By: BGK
It's amazing the people you see driving vehicles that have no modern safety equipment, pollute like crazy and are in highly questionable condition and then think they are the smart ones for not buying a modern vehicle in 30 years. If they lived in some European countries or Japan they would be forced by law to not drive these piles.


Well they know how to fix 'em... or at least look like it. Dunno how many people grew up in the 60's and... that was their cutoff date for car repair knowledge. "Gimme a small block chevy with a carb and no [censored] computer and I can fix it" they'll say...

As for cali 1) no rust and 2) smog test exemptions for ancient vehicles and you have a recipe for this to continue.
 
Just did a few sample runs through the fueleconomy.gov calculator...

I think many/most are going to have a hard time making this work... I know the vehicles Id be interested in will not qualify, based upon how they were rated.

And the EPA "combined" thing is total garbage... 45% highway, 55% city is the example for determinging fuel economy, and they are off by at least 5 MPG, minimum, on every vehicle we own.
 
Originally Posted By: eljefino
Originally Posted By: BGK
It's amazing the people you see driving vehicles that have no modern safety equipment, pollute like crazy and are in highly questionable condition and then think they are the smart ones for not buying a modern vehicle in 30 years. If they lived in some European countries or Japan they would be forced by law to not drive these piles.


Well they know how to fix 'em... or at least look like it. Dunno how many people grew up in the 60's and... that was their cutoff date for car repair knowledge. "Gimme a small block chevy with a carb and no [censored] computer and I can fix it" they'll say...

As for cali 1) no rust and 2) smog test exemptions for ancient vehicles and you have a recipe for this to continue.


I really doubt that the number of gross polluting older cars holds a candle to the expansion of newer car purchases annually ( in terms of gross pollution added vs. what would be removed). At least over the last 15-20 years. No way. Any 60's through mid 70's (pre catalyst) vehicle is either long gone rusted junk or going between the south 40 and the north 40. They consume less energy then what it takes to produce what would replace them.

The rest of the alleged modern market cascades nicely through about 15 years from date of manufacture.

The problem now will be that the first echelon of newer vehicles will be much smaller in number. Therefore the transition of the secondary markets will also be less altered in number and years for the evolutions to occur.
 
Who is going to pay!!!! getting people in houses they couldn't afford didn't work. The same politicians are doing the same thing . There is a problem . It is the non thinkers.
 
I think this program will not crush efficient small cars that are old, but mostly the super well depreciated SUV and trucks that are still running fine but no one wants.

Guess which car will get crushed? a 96 Explorer? or a 94 Civic? Now guess what would happen to the market price of a 96 Explorer? therefore the market price of a 2006 Explorer, and 2006 Civic?

I think the fuel saving over 10 years between a small car and a large SUV should be more than 3.5k. So maybe we should raise gas tax to pay for it?

Maybe a better program is the government will pay you $3.5k to crush your old SUV and you pay it back in future gas tax comparable to how much you get from the government previously. Over 10 years you will get a new car while paying for the same for gas.
 
One could create lots of djobs by requiring each citizen to mail in a check for $365. A rebate for $364 would be sent back in return. Then you would next have to send in $363 and so on, with a dollar deducted each time. After exactly one year the second-last one holding the money would get to keep what's left. The post office will be happy.
 
This bill should make the value of old big cars, like my 91 Grand Marquis, bottom out not too much lower than $3500. I can see people who that to buy a new car, buy somebody else's clunker just to trade it in.

Like any government program, it will result in a lot of unintended consequences. In this case it'll raise the value of my 91 Marquis and other cars like it.
 
^ bingo!

Just like easy student loans just made college more expensive and as unattainable as ever.
 
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